Happy Monday! Today we’re going to continue on with my responses to all of your “Ask Me Anything” questions! If you missed it, last week I answered all of the questions that had to do with living in Charleston, Chicago, where I want to live and where I’d like to travel:
Ask Me Anything – Chicago, Charleston & Travel
Today I’m answering all the questions that centered around law school, a career, and what I want in the future. These were hard to answer!
How did you study when you were in law school?
I’m kind of curious who asked this one – are you in law school or going to go? I’m not really sure how to explain my study habits to people who aren’t in law school, so I’ll try to make it more applicable.
In law school most classes just had one final exam and that was the only grade for the entire semester. To study for the exam I would make up a big outline of the entire semester. From there I would widdle it down from 20 or so pages to about 4 or 5 as a quicker reference to study and have with me in the exam (most classes let you bring study guides you personally made into the exam). Lastly I would both study my outlines and use them to take practice tests. A lot of professors would have old exams or give you example questions. The more you practice the better you’ll be at typing up your answer as quickly and as organized as possible.
What kind of law do you want to practice?
I chose my school (and the school’s I applied to) because it offered an environmental law certificate, which I received while at school. This basically means the classes that I took were environmentally centered. Anyhoo – that’s what kind of law I would like to practice if I practice law… If you’re curious about why I went to law school and my thoughts on it now, check out this post.
If you hadn’t pursued law, what would you be doing?
Um… no clue. Again, read this post. And whatever that is, I might be doing it in the next few years. I’m open to both legal and non-legal jobs, I just want to find a job that I enjoy doing, somewhere that I feel valued and that I’m making a difference.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10? 20? 50?
I could say that I see myself married, I see myself living on some gorgeous ranch out west near the mountains, I see myself with children, I see myself fit and healthy (maybe more marathons? or becoming a yogi?); there are a lot of things I like to envision for the future, but I’ve learned that trying to decide where you want to be in the future isn’t always the best idea.
When I was in high school, I figured by 26 I’d already have a job I enjoyed and that I’d be married. Sometimes it’s best to think about the kind of person you want to be, rather than specific life events or accomplishments. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have goals, but there are some things you just can’t control.
I wrote a post this fall about the person I want to be, if you want to check that out. That’s what I see for my future – being the best and most loving person that I can be. I want people to remember me for the positive impact I had on their life, rather than more superficial things.
What is your dream job?
I think part of my problem with wanting to know what I want to do, career-wise, is that I’ve never done anything other than school. I need to get a job, jump in somewhere and try it to see if it’s what I want to do. Sometimes I imagine being an environmental lawyer, sometimes I imagine running a non-profit, sometimes I wonder if I should have just skipped law school and gone out on a research boat somewhere (marine biology major). I just need to get rid of my fear of failing and go for it, and if it doesn’t work, try something else.
But like I said above – my dream job is a job that I feel like I’m making a difference and where I enjoy going every day.
Do you like to envision where you’ll be in 5, 10 or 20 years?
What’s your dream job?
Thinking too far ahead totally overwhelms me. I used to think ahead a lot more, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to take it with more of a day by day mentality. It seems to work a lot better for me that way. 😉 I do love to set goals and talk with Cody about what we’d like to do or where we’d like to be in “x” number of years, but that’s the extent of it.
Yes, I love my day to day attitude!
I hate envisioning where I want to be in five years. Hell, I hate envisioning where I want to be in one year! Too much pressure ;). I’ve worked really hard to let go of some of my planning obsession, and just let life happen.
I must say though, I can’t wait to see where you end up! So exciting :).
Haha I agree – way too much pressure. Especially when you’re in college!
Katie, I totally agree with your last thought about forgetting about the fear of failing and just do it. I don’t see things that don’t work out as failing, just learning what does not work. I never had a “plan” and I am happy with how my life is going. For me, the lesson was to be ready for opportunities and grab them, be flexible and courageous/confident. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it is great to know you better.
Thank you, Marty! And that’s true – it’s not failing, especially if you try your best
Loved the answers to these questions. I thought about law school and centered my undergraduate studies around law school and then I decided I had more of a passion for nutrition. I love helping people and thought law was the only way to do so, not that it isn’t, but I know now that I can be just as impactful with nutrition as well. Sometimes I consider law school again though. I feel like I will spend my life in school!!
Haha I kind of wish I’d figured out other passions before going to law school. Feel free to email me if you ever have questions about it!
Having a fixed plan for the future is quite limiting, you might miss out on opportunities that didn’t fit your plan, but were the best thing for you. 10 years ago, if you’d have asked me what I would be doing now, it wouldn’t be teaching in Japan, and I’ve been here 8 (it still surprises me that I’ve been here so long!). It was a scary move, but I’m so glad I did it. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next 10, even though getting quite that old is a little scary!
Great point – having a plan blinds you from other opportunities!
“Sometimes it’s best to think about the kind of person you want to be, rather than specific life events or accomplishments.” — I totally agree with this!
Thanks, Maggie!
Honestly, I’ve been working for 4 years and I still don’t really know what I want to do. It’s all about experimentation and figuring out what works well for you. There are a lot of factors that go into finding a great job — the work itself, the company culture, the people, the balance. You’re definitely on the right track to figuring it all out.
Ahhh that makes me feel better
I just read your post on why you went to law school, and it completely resonates with me! I graduated from law school in 2012, and went for very similar reasons as you. I had a feeling the whole time it wasn’t the perfect fit for me, but once I started the idea of quitting was terrifying because I didn’t see myself as a “quitter.” I did well, but finding the right job was tough. I’m working in a related field now, but not as a practicing attorney and I don’t know that I ever will. I’ve spent a lot of time wondering why I went in the first place, but I’m gradually learning to embrace the idea that it shaped me and taught me a lot about who I am that I didn’t know before law school.
Good luck as you try to figure out what’s next!
Thanks, Allison! We definitely sound very similar – I doubt I’ll be a practicing attorney, it just doesn’t seem like the best fit. But who knows!
love this so much friend! i could read about you for days
awww thanks, Meg!
Have been thinking about law for quite some time but decided to put it off until I am 90-100% certain. Everything I’ve done since has been taking me towards that direction still, so perhaps writing the LSATs wasn’t a complete waste of time lol
dream job? I’ve been opening myself to the idea that perhaps dream “jobs” are more appropriate – life is ripe with possibilities!
Haha definitely wait until you’re 100% sure, it’s a big investment in both cost and time. Feel free to email me if you have any questions!
I really agree with just getting started, anywhere! I think we put so much pressure on ourselves to start straight away into our ‘perfect’ job. The best advice I was ever give was that your first job won’t be your dream job, but it will help you get your second job, and your second job will help you get your dream job.
I lucked out and love my first job post university (I’ve been there three years now!) but it’s not my dream job. But I kind of love the journey, in that I don’t think I’ll even know what my dream job is until I stumble into it. I think that’s the beauty of it! Just get started!
Thanks Amanda – love that piece of advice!
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